M A I N   N E W S

China sets terms for backing USA

Beijing, September 18
China demanded US support for its own struggle against “terrorism and separatism”, shorthand for groups that include Taiwan independence advocates and the Tibetan Dalai Lama, in return for backing a US-led war.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao also said China was prepared to discuss any proposals to combat international terrorism at the United Nations Security Council, where it wields a veto as one of the five permanent members.

But he insisted that any military action in retaliation for the last week’s attacks on the USA would have to be based on “concrete evidence”, should not hurt innocent people and should be conducted within the ambit of international law.

“The USA has asked China to provide assistance in the fight against terrorism,” Mr Zhu said.

“China, by the same token, has reasons to ask the USA to give its support and understanding in the fight against terrorism and separatists,” he said.

“We should not have double standards.” Reuters

Five hijackers were trained in UK: Mail

London, September 18
At least five of the hijackers who took control of four US airliners a week ago and used them in attacks on New York and Washington had trained in the UK, the Daily Mail newspaper reported today.

The newspaper said the FBI had passed names and details to the British police after discovering the British connection to the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington in which more than 5,400 are missing or dead.

A spokeswoman at the Scotland Yard, declined to discuss the article.

“We are not prepared to discuss this,’’ she said. “We would certainly not be prepared to talk about any future raids which may or may not take place (in Britain).’’

She was responding to the Mail’s front page report, which predicted “dozens of addresses across the UK will now be raided as special branch and anti-terrorist officers try to trace the movements of the five and every one they contacted’’.

The FBI has named 19 men, including seven pilots, as the hijackers of the four airliners used in last Tuesday’s attacks. FBI Director Robert Mueller said on Monday that 49 people who had been questioned about the attacks were being detained in the USA for immigration violations.

The Daily Mail said one of them, being held in New York and viewed as the “most significant’’ of the 49, had lived in the UK “for months’’. Reuters

5,422 missing

New York, September 18
The number of people missing since the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center has risen to 5,422 with 201 bodies recovered, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has said. AFP

Phone lines for kin at NY Consulate
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 18
The Consulate General of India (CGI) has initiated a series of measures for the welfare of the Indian community in New York following terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center there. In a message to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mrs Shashi U. Tripathi, Consul General of India, said that as of now the number of persons of Indian origin feared missing was around 250.

The city telephone number for missing persons was (212) 447 2998.